Anyone had the Inman Aligner...have I got the wrong thing? Photo

[Dudedudedude]

So after spending an absurd amount of money I got the Inman Aligner fitted on Wednesday. Now the strange thing is, looking at pictures online, the device I have looks completely different. It also has a "key" which I have to use every 3 days on the device which I can't see mentioned anywhere online. Starting to wonder if I have been scammed(!) or whether it will be changed at some point during treatment. Does anyone have any experience of this?

Hi! I had an Inman aligner years ago (at least 10) and it looked a bit like this from what I can remember, although there was no key and nothing I tightened myself. Given how long ago it was, it might be a newer development however?

Thanks for the reply! Oh that's interesting you had one 10 years ago, here I am thinking this is the latest state of the art technology! The thing is my one has this huge palette part which when looking at photos of the Inman aligner it is usually all hollowed out. Perhaps he has given me a normal retainer by mistake...

We don't offer this at my orthodontic practice where I work. However there are a variety of different Inman aligners with various auxiliaries such as screws (in your case) prescribed as part of the aligner to fix different issues (pic attached). Really depends on what is being corrected. If you aren't clear about your treatment plan, you really should speak to your orthodontist.

Is it not just that it's been combined with an expander to correct your alignment? I had lots of years of various braces as a kid, and a key expander was used to open up my mouth for the overcrowding. A lot of people probably don't need the expander bit hence yours looking different?

Thanks for the screenshot allofthecheese, interesting to note that there are different versions, although mine doesn't seem to match any of them! My teeth are mainly straight as I had a brace as teenager it's just one of my central insisors is sticking outwards slightly so I need it pushed back.

Thanks Starrylight I think you're on to something there, he did mention something about opening up the teeth and then pushing the sticky out tooth back, I assumed it would all be done with the same appliance.

Had a Google of palete expanders, that's definitely what it is! Thanks starrylight, feeling assured now.